


Christmas with Philip

by dancergrl1



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 06:12:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14231061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancergrl1/pseuds/dancergrl1
Summary: Philip stays at the Barnum's for Christmas. It changes his entire outlook on the holiday.





	Christmas with Philip

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I am aware it's April.
> 
> No, I don't care. it sounded freaking adorable. So i ran with it. 
> 
> (fight me)

Philip was asleep at the barnum’s. He’d slipped and mentioned the fact that he was just going to go to a restaurant and celebrate by himself, and PT Barnum had insisted he come home with him. He had meant to extend the invitation earlier in the week, but Barnum was nothing if not forgetful. And impulsive. And persuasive.

“Philip the girls will be simply crushed if you don’t come.” This sealed the deal, and Philip collected the things he needed from his office, also serving as a temporary home, and followed Phineas to the carriage. 

He was accosted by two little girls when he reached the door. “Philip! You’re here for Christmas!”

“Of course I am.” 

Phineas turned his head. “Of course he is.” 

Charity laughed. “Girls, let them in before they turn into icicles!”

Helen and Caroline grabbed hands and raced into the living room, where the tree stood, somewhat haphazardly decorated. Philip’s breath caught in his throat. “Wow...It’s beautiful!” he exclaimed. 

“We helped decorate it!” Caroline responded rather loudly. 

“Caroline, volume,” Charity reminded her gently. 

Philip snuck a glance at the time. “Isn’t it time for two little girls to be in bed?” 

Helen stuck her lip out in the most dramatic pout he’d ever seen. “But you just got here!”

Charity stepped in to diffuse the situation. “Helen, Caroline, i bet if you change into your pajamas I could find some hot chocolate in the kitchen. And Philip would love to tell you a bedtime story?” She phrased it as a question, but Philip read between the lines. 

“Of course I will.”

Helen and Caroline ran off giggling. Charity disappeared too. 

Philip admired the tree openly, seeing all of the glue and paper ornaments made by the girls, intertwined with paper flowers. 

“Philip, lookit what I made for the tree!” Helen’s voice behind him surprises him. She points to a glitter-covered star hanging from the lower branches. 

“I made the angel cutout!” Caroline pipes up, not to be outdone. 

“Girls, let Philip look on his own time.” Charity’s voice is laughing too. 

He’s busted and he knows it. 

Charity’s eyes are loving and laughing when he meets them, turning away from the tree. 

“Philip, tell us a story!!” Helen implores. 

“Pleeeease?!” Caroline takes up the fight. 

“I promised, didn’t I?” He winks. 

“Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived two princesses. Helena and Carolina. They lived in a big castle made of candy, deep in the woods. They rode elephants through the streets of town. Carolina loved to wear red and gold, her dresses always trimmed with the most beautiful gold ribbon. Helena loved to wear purple. Her dresses were ruffled and wide, the skirts twirling everywhere she went. One day, a magical man brought a circus into town. They had people who could fly, people who were as little as elves, and people who were taller than trees! The princesses were fascinated! They didn’t understand where these people had come from, but they never wanted them to leave.” Philip looked down to check on the little girls, and saw them smiling sleepily up at him, eyes barely open. 

“Keep going,” Helen murmured.

“The princesses wouldn’t let the circus leave without teaching them how to fly too. From then on, whenever they missed the circus, they would fly through the air, and they wouldn’t feel as lonely. They learned how to make the elephants dance, and everyone lived happily ever after.” The girls were asleep by the time he trailed his voice off. 

“Carolina and Helena?” Phineas asked from the doorway. He was smirking over the rim of his cup.

“I never claimed to be creative,” Philip defended. “Should we move them?” 

Phineas simply came to collect one of his daughters. “Follow me, i’ll show you your room as well.” 

Philip nodded, lifting Helen, and followed the enchanting man to the stairs. He resisted the urge to look one last time at the glowing tree behind them. He’d felt at home, for a moment. He didn’t want it to end. 

After depositing the girls gently in their beds, Philip collapsed into his own for the evening. He was suddenly exhausted.  
\---  
The next morning, he’s woken abruptly by something little and giggling landing on his stomach. Hard. He lets out a dramatic, but not entirely untrue, grunt, as two little girls giggle above him. 

“Phillip!” Caroline exclaimed.

Helen follows right after. “It’s CHRISTMAS!” 

Philip forces gritty eyes open. “Good morning...what time is it?!” He exclaimed. 

Charity laughs from the doorway. “Welcome to our world,” she quips. “They’ve been an unstoppable pair since Helen could walk.” 

Philip laughs, and Helen begins tugging on his arm. “C’mon, Philip, it’s CHRISTMAS!” 

Philip lets Helen keep trying to tug him out of bed. “Alright, alright, let me get up before you pull my arms out!”

Helen and Caroline practically skid around the doorframe. 

Charity and Philip follow at a much more stately pace. Philip can hear the girls chattering in front of the tree, even from the top of the stairs. 

When he reaches the living room, he is once again struck by the beauty of their tree. His one with his parents had always been stuffy and formal, with the tinsel hanging just so and the candles glittering off the sides. Caroline tugs his arm, and out of his reverie. 

“Philip, c’mon! I found one with your name on it!” 

Philip sits down on the couch, and a small golden package is placed on his lap. “Open it!”

It’s a box of chocolates, and a certificate for more at his preferred chocolatier. He laughs, and looks directly at Charity. “Thank you,” he says sincerely. He looks back towards the girls. “I think, if you look, there are two big boxes under there with your names on them.” He smiles mischievously. 

Caroline and Helen scramble under the tree and come out dragging the boxes, as promised. “Helen, you first.” PT looks at him, and Philip steadfastly keeps his eyes on the girls. 

“Philip,” PT growls. A warning. 

Philip doesn’t respond. Helen’s cry of delight cuts any other protests off. 

“A LETTIE DRESS! I GOT A LETTIE DRESS!” Helen is shouting, her voice echoing through the home. 

“Helen, volume.” Charity says quietly. 

“Sorry mommy.” 

Philip smiles again. “Caroline, your turn.” Caroline, equally as excited, tears into her gift. 

“I got an Anne leotard...and the ruffles...and a wig!” Caroline exclaims, quieter than her sister. 

“Now you girls can play circus properly.” Philip smiles at them. 

Charity hands philip another present.

“Charity?”

“Open it. It’s for you.”

Philip scrunches his eyebrows. He doesn’t get it. “Excuse me?” It was meant to be a statement, but comes out like a question. He rushes out of the room. 

He didn’t understand. They let him stay here, let him stay with the circus, so why did they get him a present? The two little girls’ excitement and the beauty of the tree and the feeling of family were enough. Why did they get him more?

PT knocks on the doorway of the room. “Philip?” 

Philip turns to him. His eyes are like a doe’s, big and confused. 

“Are you alright?” 

“I already have things. Why did you get me a present?”

PT swallows. He’d suspected it was something like that, but he didn’t want to be right. Damn his parents. “Philip, you’re part of our family. You get presents for people you love. And we all love you. Charity’s often said we ended up with three children, not two.” 

Philip nods. He doesn’t quite get it, but he sort of did. He didn’t like it much. 

“Ready to go back?” 

Philip nods. He follows PT numbly back to the living room. Charity embraces him quickly. “Here, Philip. This is for you.” 

He sits down with the box on his lap. He pulls out a beautiful leather journal, and a sleek black fountain pen. He chokes up. “This...this is amazing. Thank you.” 

Charity looks at him with a soft smile. “Of course, Philip. You’re family.” 

Philip smiles. He thinks he could get used to this kind of holiday.

**Author's Note:**

> Please review! Leave Ideas?


End file.
